•Jorginho has done a very good job holding the centre between Rice and Martin Odegaard but Partey was always Arteta’s preferred option.
• Players at the club do not believe Ten Hag will be in charge next season and they still criticise his intense training programme which, they say, leaves them exhausted.
Image: XINHUA
Following a successful comeback introduction after 65 minutes, Thomas Partey is looking to partner Declan Rice in Arsenal’s midfield for the home match against Brentford.
Mikel Arteta said: “They only played together in midfield in the Community Shield and that tells you how much we have missed Thomas. The impact he can have for the next three months can be really big.”
Jorginho has done a very good job holding the centre between Rice and Martin Odegaard but Partey was always Arteta’s preferred option.
The coach again defended his strategy of playing without a recognised No. 9 striker as he pointed out that five of the Gunners’ goals against Sheffield United came from different players — Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Rice and Ben White.
The sixth was an own goal by Jayden Bogle. Rice has backed Arteta’s decision not buy a No9 in January. Gabriel Jesus deputised for Martinelli and operated as a more recognised striker.
However, he missed several chances and is likely to be a sub this weekend against Brentford, who are going through a poor patch and are only six points above the relegation zone.
Both Bukayo Saka and Martinelli were in the medical room this week. Saka felt ill during the Brentford game and Arteta said he felt unwell and was withdrawn. Martinelli sustained a cut on his foot. Both players will be assessed before Saturday’s game.
Image: /FILE
Ten Hag’s fight for survival
Erik Ten Hag’s job at Manchester United is hanging by a thread.
We are entering the final straight of the Premier League season and United will be hard pushed to win anything.
INEOS boss, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has begun his reign and Ten Hag is in the spotlight.
Players at the club do not believe Ten Hag will be in charge next season and they still criticise his intense training programme which, they say, leaves them exhausted.
They also blame Ten Hag for the 47 cases of injury which they think is due to fatigue after 62 games last season and Ten Hag’s punishing training regime.
United legend Paul Scholes agrees with the players that Ten hag will be gone by the summer.
The new man has already brought in management changes and has a shortlist of potential replacements.
The whisper around Old Trafford at the moment is the name of Zinedine Zidane.
The former Real Madrid boss accomplished much at the Bernabeu, winning three La Liga titles before falling out with the club’s hierarchy.
Ratcliffe is a big fan of Zidane, who has been out of work for nearly two years.
The problem is that he does not like England and consequently never learned the language properly.
However, the appointment of new director Jean-Claude Blanc has caused Zidane to think again.
Image: FILE
The former Juventus CEO has joined the board of United, he and Zidane keep in touch and I can reveal that he is talking to Zidane about the possibility of him coming to Manchester.
As for Ten Hag: he has to improve United’s results and his overall strategy. If he doesn’t, then Ratcliffe will replace him.
Sancho deal being discussed between United and Dortmund
Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund are set for talks regarding Jadon Sancho’s future.
Erik Ten Hag and Sancho will not work together after a bitter and public disagreement over training but Ten Hag might not be at Old Trafford in three months. Sancho rejoined his former club Dortmund on loan and United have decided to sell him in the summer.
Dortmund would prefer to keep him on loan with an option to buy at the end of the 2024/5 season.
Sancho would prefer to be sold but could return to United if the Bundesliga club decide not to pay the full transfer fee. United originally paid £73million for Jadon but he scored only 12 goals in 82 matches.
De Zerbi works with Ferguson
It is often said that a youngster introduced to the Premier League will get a ‘free’ season before opponents work out the way they play and coaches and assistants research their strengths and weaknesses.
That applies to Brighton’s Evan Ferguson, a brilliant prospect who scored 10 goals in 25 appearances last season.
He has been restricted to six goals in 32 matches this season. He is too good not to recover his previous form.
However, Brighton coach Roberto De Zerbi has decided that he will spend more time in training with the youngster and perhaps even give him a rest for a couple of games.
But the manager has problem — Brighton are going through a rough patch which culminated in a 3-0 defeat to Fulham.
They face a suffering Nottingham Forest team on Saturday which De Zerbi said they will win and keep their ninth-place in the table and could, if results go their way, see them climb above both West Ham and Newcastle.
Image: MORE:
Sheffield’s broken and damaged seniors
It will take a miracle to save Sheffield United and Burnley from relegation.
Sheffield coach Chris Wilder admitted that following his side’s 6-0 home thrashing by Arsenal on Monday evening, he is going to bring more youngsters into the team for the rest of the season.
Blades supporters started leaving the stadium after only 15 minutes when they were already three goals down to the Gunners! Wilder described his senior players as “broken and damaged”.
Three consecutive home defeats by five goals or more has never been seen in professional football before.
However, Wilder said his best performers were youngsters. Andre Brooks, Will Osula and Oliver Arblaster will form the backbone of his survival strategy until the end of the season.
This is the time of the season that owners of failing clubs usually ring Sam Allardyce for rescue but it is too late even for that.
Burnley stick by Vincent Kompany
Joining Sheffield United back in the Championship next season will be Burnley, barring another miracle.
They are still on five home points and might well beat Sunderland’s dreadful PL record of seven at the Stadium of Light in 2005-06.
Burnley are 11 points from safety and only a huge reduction of points for Everton and Nottingham Forest for breaking the profitability and sustainability rules, can save them.
The Burnley board of directors have been totally supportive of coach Vincent Kompany and still believe that he is the right man to take the club forward but a rebuild will have to come from the lower league if indeed they are relegated.
The board believe the young squad Kompany has built will automatically return to the Premier League as they did last season where they destroyed most of the opposition.
Image: HANDOUT
Kelleher commits to Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that goalkeeper Alisson Becker’s injury is so severe that he will likely miss most of the rest of this season.
However, both Klopp and the goalkeeper himself have confirmed total belief that current stand-in stopper Caoimhin Kelleher will do a great job and he has impressed during his time in goal.
Clubs will come calling in the summer but Kelleher has enjoyed a run of Premier and Europa league games. He wants to stay at Anfield.